Well, I added SSL (HTTPS) to make Google happy. Or happier. It was only mildly traumatic to get the site working again. Now to write something useful.
In my post, The Really Old Man, I mentioned the Coleman Snook Farm as possible loction for the Matthew Williams farm. I'm not sure where it is though. A cousin thinks the Coleman Snook Farm is on the present-day Sussex County Fairgrounds property. Or maybe nearby. My cousin isn't sure where he heard it or when he heard the story.
Finding children for your ancestors – all of their children – is an important part of telling their story. I don't just look for my direct-line ancestor and ignore the rest; that approach doesn't explain why they made the decisions they did, what challenges did they face, etc. So I normally look for as many children I can find for any couple because they help tell a better story and because they can offer other leads to other ancestors.
Detective Clarence Daly (1885-1926) is part of a collateral line but researching him was fun. A family story said there was a "Clarence Daly" who became a New York City policeman and died on the job. Oddly enough, that family story is true.
How do you research a really old man? I mean a really old man. Really old.
The 1940 census includes several census codes or notations that can help researchers learn a little more about their ancestors.
I recently spent a little time in memory lane, remembering how family research used to be a lot more time consuming than it (usually) is today. So many researchers don't need to spend time slowly scrolling through microfilms to find records they need because there are so many records online and search tools work so well.
My previous post about Jane Grady’s parents showed how confusing some research can be. Additional research was needed and I now have a little better understanding about the Grady’s of Millport / Pine Valley, New York. Continue reading
It's time to rethink a brick wall. So in one of my long ago posts I asked Who are Jane Grady's parents? I now have the answer. It took lots of digging and banging my head against words that just were not sinking in. Who are they and how did I get to the answer?
Many researchers run into several generations using the same name where records, like the census, do not clearly identify each person. When that happens you need to find other records to help identify who is who.
